1. Import from a web link
The fastest method is to paste the URL of any recipe page. A good importer reads the page's structured data and ingredient list, then strips out the ads, pop-ups, and life story, leaving just the ingredients and steps.
Paste the link, let it parse, and review the result. Most recipe sites publish machine-readable recipe data, so the ingredients, quantities, and instructions come through cleanly on the first try.
Works with the vast majority of recipe blogs and publishers
Keeps the source link so you can revisit the original
Best for anything you found while browsing on a laptop or phone
2. Import from a PDF or text file
Cookbook scans, meal-plan handouts, and exported recipes usually arrive as PDFs. Upload the file and let the importer extract the text, then map it into a structured recipe with a proper ingredient list and numbered steps.
This is the method that rescues the recipes trapped in documents you'd otherwise never open again.
3. Import from a photo
For a handwritten card or a page from a physical cookbook, take a photo. Optical text recognition reads the image and turns it into an editable recipe — no retyping required.
Good lighting and a flat, straight-on shot dramatically improve accuracy. If a line comes out wrong, you only fix one line instead of typing the whole card.
Clean up messy imports in seconds
No importer is perfect. When a quantity or step looks off, edit it inline rather than starting over. A few habits keep your collection tidy:
Standardize units as you go (grams vs. cups) so scaling works later
Add one or two tags at import time — 'weeknight', 'vegetarian', 'kids'
Drop a quick note about tweaks you made, while it's fresh
Why import at all instead of bookmarking?
Bookmarks break, blogs disappear, and screenshots pile up in your camera roll with no way to search them. Importing into one collection means every recipe is full-text searchable by ingredient, time, or note — and it's ready to drop straight into a meal plan and shopping list.
Frequently asked questions
Can I import recipes from any website?
Almost always. Most recipe sites publish structured recipe data that importers read directly. For the rare page that doesn't, you can fall back to importing from a PDF, a text paste, or a screenshot.
Will the ingredients and steps stay formatted?
Yes. A good importer separates ingredients from instructions and preserves quantities, so the recipe is ready to scale and add to a shopping list rather than being one wall of text.
What if the import comes out wrong?
You can edit any field inline. Fix the one line that's off instead of retyping the whole recipe, then save it to your collection.